The screenplay was written by Robert Ramsey and Matt Stone and then refashioned by the Coen Brothers in the mid 1990s. Initially the screenplay was attached to Ron Howard and then Jonathan Demme, who had planned to cast Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in the lead roles.

A line from Herb's speech to Miles is inspired by the Gettysburg Address. Abraham Lincoln said "testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure." Herb said, "This firm cannot prosper... nor long endure..."

The logo on the door handle of the Rexroth mansion is the same as the logo for the Rich company in the film Richie Rich where Edward Herrmann played Richard Rich marking the second time the actor has played a character with repetitive Rs in his name. This is likely a homage from the film makers to his previous roll.